Cigarette machine



July l2, 1932. D W MQLlNs 1,867,463

' CIGARETTE MACHINE Filed sept. 9, 1951 Patented July 12, 1932 NETE@ STATES DESIVIOND WALTER MOLINS, F LONGWOOID, BEXLEY, ENG-LND CIGARETTE MACHINE Appneation mea september 9, 1931. serial No. 561,960.

This invention relates to apparatus for feeding tobacco and more particularly to feeding apparatus for use in cigarette making machines of the continuous rod type.

a The principal object of the invention is the provision of means for collecting and removing the dust produced in conveying and treating the shredded tobacco.V

It has heretofore been proposed to remove io this dust by suction producing means but it is found that such means are not lentirely satisfactory since there is a tendency to withdraw a portionof the shredded tobacco togather with the dust if the suctionis applied sufficiently close to the shredded tobacco to become effective.V Furthermore, it is frequently necessary to project the tobacco in an unsupported stream, for instance in discharging tobacco into the lling trough of a continuous rod type of cigarette machine,-

and the provision of suction devices for withdrawing the dust adjacent such a stream of falling tobacco tends to divert the stream from its proper course.

It is therefore an object of the invention to provide mechanical means rather Vthan pneumatic devices for withdrawing dust generated during the feeding of the tobacco.

j It is a further object of the invention to provide means for housing the tobacco conveying apparatus in such manner as to eliminate empty pockets or waste Vspaces in which dust may collect in suliicient quantity to fall into or mix with the shredded tobacco.

Further objects and features of the invention will be apparent from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawing in which:

Figure 1 is a fragmentary vertical section through tobacco feeding apparatus commonly used in cigarette making machines of the continuous rod type to which the invention has been applied;

Figure 2 is a plan view of the moving parts disclosed in Figure 1 with the housing removed; and

Figure 8 is a fragmentary sectional view on the line 8-3 of Figure 1.

Referring now specifically to the apparatus 0 shown in the drawing which has been chosen to illustrate the application of the principles of the invention, it will be observed that the reference numeral 10 designates the conventional cardedY drum on which the shredded tobacco is deposited and which serves to convey the tobacco to the usual filling trough of the cigarette making machine, not shown. This drum is rotated in the direction of the arrow and `the tobacco carried thereon is pressed out in a uniform layer by the action of the comb 12 mounted in the comb bar 13 Y and engaging the tobacco between the rows of pins 111 on the/carded drum 10.

4A picker roller 16, provided with a plu:-

rality of series of radially projecting pins 17 on the periphery thereof, serves to remove the shredded tobacco from the drum 10 and discharge the same in a stream downwardly into the filling trough as shownin Figure 1 of the drawing, and as isl well understood in the art. The pins 17 are preferably threaded in apertures 19 in the picker roller and are secured in position by lock nuts 20. The picker roller is preferably rotated in a direction opposite to the direction of rotation of the cardedv drum 10.

" A mechanical conveyor for removing dust from the vicinity of the picker roller is provided, this conveyor preferably comprising arotating roller`25.V `Ribs 26 are provided on Ysu the periphery of this roller, and the roller 25 i and the picker roller 16 are disposed in such close proximity Athat these ribs pass between adjacent rows of pins on the picker roller as shown more clearly in Figure 3 of the drawmg.V

A .suitable guiding wall or partition 27 is provided to separate the falling stream of tobacco from the dust discharged from the roller 25, this discharge of dust being effected-u by means of aA series' of fingers 28, preferably resilient, engagingvbetween adjacent ribs 26 on the dust collecting roller. These fingers serve as Scrapers and dust directed on and about the ribbed periphery of the roller 261,I

by the action of the picker roller is thus removed by the fingers 28 an-d discharged downwardly into a suitable receptacle.

By reason of thev fact that dust adheres closely to surfaces located within and advthe moving parts of the machine.

jacent the draft caused by the picker roller, the ribbed conveyor 25 is found to be extremely eective in extracting and removing this dust.V At the same time the depositing of dust on other surfaces adjacent the picker roller is prevented by the provision of a housing 30 conforming closely to thecontour of the pins disposed about the periphery of this roller. A housing 29 is likewise provided about the ribbed periphery of theroller 25, these housings formingishrouds tol confine any dust within the machine and prevent the collection of appreciable quantities of dust in pockets or waste spaces in the housing which might fall into the moving stream of tobacco.

It will be appreciated that while the invention is particularly applicable to the conventional type of cigarette .machine .employing a carded drum or conveyor and a picker roller for removingT and vdischarging tobacco from the conveyor, it may be successfully used at other points in such machines or in any type nof machine in which shredded tobacco is being conveyed or treated so as to release a considerable quantityof dust. It will also -be appreciated that .the roller 25 may assume other forms, it beingonly necessary that a conveyor be provided with va dust colvvlecting .surface ywhich is .moved into and out of the Zone in which vdust is .discharged by Such further-changes and alterationsuare contemplated as fall within the spirit and scope of `the appended claims. Y

Having thus described .the invention, what is claimed as new and ldesired to :be secured by Letters Patent is:`

1. In apparatus for feeding tobacco, the combina-tion with al carded conveyor for the tobacco, of a picker roller having projections thereon for removing tobacco from said conveyor, and meansV movingbetween the projections on said roller for collecting.

,and removing dust.

2. In apparatus for feeding tobacco, the combination with a carded conveyor for the tobacco, of'a picker roller having projections `thereon for removing tobacco from said con- 3. In a cigarette making machine of the Y continuous rod type having a filling trough through which tobacco Ais delivered to a traveling web of paper, the combination with a carded conveyor for the tobacco, of a picker roller having pins thereon Vforremoving tobacco-from said conveyor for Vdischarge into the filling trough, and a rotatable element having circumferentiall-yextending ribs on the periphery `thereof projecting between `the Leef/,46a

pins on the picker roller for collecting dust, and means for removing the dust from said element.

4. In a cigarettermaliing machine of the continuous rod type having a filling trough through Which tobacco is delivered to a traveling web of paper, the .combination with a carded conveyor for the tobacco, of a picker roller having pins thereon for removing tobacco from said conveyor for discharge into the filling trough, and a rotatable element having circumferentially extending ribs on the kperiphery thereof projecting between the pins on the ipicker roller for collecting dust, and means for removing theV dust from said element, and -a housing comprising a shroud for said picker roller disposedin close proximity to the picker roller pins to prevent .a-cy cumulation of appreciable quantities of dust on such portion of the interior of the housing. 5. In a lcigarette making machinevof the continuous rod type hav-ing a filling trough through which tobacco is delivered to a travelin-g web of paper, the-combination with a carded conveyor for the tobacco, of a picker Y roller having pins thereon for removing. to-

bacco lfrom said conveyor for discharge into the filling trough, land a rotatable element having circumferentially extending ribs on the periphery thereof projecting between the pins on the picker roller for collecting dust, means for removing the dust from said element, and a -housing conforming closely to the peripheral'outlines of said picker roller Vand rotatable element for preventing accumulation-ofdust. y

6. vIn a cigarette Vmaking machine of the continuous rod type having a filling trough through which tobacco 'is' delivered to a traveling web of paper, thecombina-tion with a carded conveyor for the tobacco, of a. picker roller having pins thereon for removing Vtobacco fromsaid conveyor for discharge into the lling trough, and a rotatable element having circumferential-ly extending r-ibs on 'the periphery thereof projecting between the pi-ns on the picker roller for collecting dust,

and fixed means projecting between the ribs on said rotatable element to remove dust therefrom. v f

In testimony whereof I hereunto affix my signature.

DEsMoNn WALTER MoLINs. 

